A Promise Kept

"When we make our first reaction to what happens in our lives a reaffirming praise to God for who He is, we invite His presence to inhabit the situation and His power to come and change things." - Stormie Omartion

What does this quote mean? It means that it's easy to praise and thank God for all the good things in life, but asking the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and helping you deal with bad situations with courage and grace is only achievable through God. Stormie Omartian had a rough life. Her mother physically and mentally abused her until she was finally able to escape and leave home. She was broke (financially) and broken (emotionally). She used drugs, alcohol, prostituted herself and explored things that harmed her even more. If anyone in this world has a reason to be mad about the way life started for her, it was Stormie. After giving her life over to Jesus she learned that through all of her troubles and hardships in life, she needed to seek the Holy Spirit for comfort, love and courage. Many years after her transformation she became ill (I know, as if this poor woman hasn't gone through enough!) and instead of focusing her prayers on being healed, she prayed for courage and strength from the Holy Spirit. She prayed that no matter the outcome, good or bad, healthy or sick, she asked God to be with her through it all.

How many of us pray that God makes sure nothing bad happens to us? How many of us lash out at God when things don't go our way? How many of us only thank Him when everything is going well? Life is full of evil, tragedies and hardships. God is not going to let you get through life without a scratch. Why do you think Jesus suffered so much? Paul, Job and many more went through hardships and we can learn from their experiences. We are to thank Him for being with us when times are good, and for not abandoning us when things are bad.

Stormie was healed, and through that difficult time she grew in her relationship with Jesus. Her love for Him intensified, and she is better prepared for life's surprises. Someone once said, "the most intimate moments with God come out of the darkest times in life."  God promised His presence through life's challenges. He promised to send His counselor, Who is named the Holy Spirit to be with us through everything. Because we live in an imperfect and sin ridden world, life will bring you tough times. With God, He will hold your hand through those challenges and walk you down the aisle of peace.